Chapter 293 Stealing the Beams and Replacing the Pillars

Shen Qingci glanced at him, somewhat reproachfully saying, "Why didn't you tell me about something this big?"

Chu Jichen chuckled lightly: "I thought Wanqing had already informed you."

Shen Qingci rubbed her temples and smiled helplessly.

It turns out that Wanqing thought Chu Jichen had told her, and Chu Jichen thought Wanqing had told her; the two of them had tacitly kept her in the dark.

"Now that the imperial decree has been issued, do I need to move into the palace immediately?" Shen Qingci asked, pondering how to pack up the things in the Prince's mansion.

Chu Jichen shook his head, his expression turning serious.

He lowered his voice even further: "I dismissed everyone else because I wanted to talk to you about this."

"Although the palace appears calm on the surface, the hidden dangers have not been eradicated. Those forces lurking in the shadows are probably still not giving up."

“You are pregnant now. If you move in rashly, I am afraid they are too good at hiding. In the end, the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light, and you will be in danger.”

A cold glint flashed in Chu Jichen's eyes: "That's why I deliberately issued the imperial decree to appoint an empress at this time with great fanfare, just to stir up trouble and lure the snake out of its hole."

"Once they get restless and start making moves, they will inevitably slip up."

Chu Jichen tightened his grip on her hand: "Since it's a scheme to lure the snake out of its hole, the bait must be extremely dangerous. How could I possibly put you in such a dangerous situation?"

“So what I’m thinking is,” a sly glint flashed in Chu Jichen’s eyes, “to find a double with a similar build to you, disguise yourself as you, and move into the palace in a grand manner, into the Phoenix Palace.”

"And you, after returning to your residence, have someone pack your things, making it seem as if you are about to move into the palace. Tonight, leave directly through the secret passage of the Regent's Palace and go to the villa I prepared in advance. It is heavily guarded, staffed entirely by my people, and absolutely safe."

After listening, Shen Qingci couldn't help but admire Chu Jichen's meticulous thinking.

This "switcheroo" tactic not only draws out the hidden enemy but also ensures her safety, achieving two goals at once.

“That’s a good idea,” Shen Qingci nodded, “but the substitute…”

Choosing a body double is probably not easy.

While their similar stature and build were one aspect, more importantly, she and Chu Jichen had always had a very close relationship and were very affectionate in their daily interactions.

If Chu Jichen treats this stand-in with respect and keeps his distance after she enters the palace, it will likely arouse suspicion from those in the shadows, thus exposing the plan.

But if it's for the sake of making the scene more realistic, the body double and Chu Jichen might have to be too intimate...

Shen Qingci bit her lip, a sudden, indescribable bitterness welling up inside her.

Just the thought of Chu Jichen possibly holding another woman's hand or giving another woman a gentle smile, even though she knew it was fake and an act, made her feel like she had a damp wad of cotton stuck in her chest, a dull and uncomfortable feeling.

Chu Jichen had been watching her expression closely. Seeing her conflicted look, he smiled slightly and looked at Shen Qingci with tenderness, teasingly asking, "Qingqing, are you... jealous?"

Shen Qingci rolled her eyes and muttered stubbornly, "What's there to be jealous of? The important things come first. Do you think I'm the kind of person who doesn't know what's important?"

But as he spoke, his voice unconsciously softened, sounding rather weak.

Shen Qingci had to admit that the thought of the substitute possibly having some relatively intimate actions with Chu Jichen made her feel somewhat displeased and sour.

Is this... vinegar?

Right?

She took a deep breath, decided to stop hiding it, and nodded honestly: "Okay, I am indeed a little unhappy."

Chu Jichen was amused by Shen Qingci's straightforward and adorable appearance, feeling a tingling sensation in his heart, as if a feather had gently tickled it. His Qingqing was just too cute.

I really want to...

Chu Jichen's gaze involuntarily fell on Shen Qingci's lower abdomen. His eyes darkened, and he could only sigh inwardly, forcibly suppressing his inappropriate thoughts.

Now that she's pregnant, he dares not do anything reckless.

He reached out and pulled Shen Qingci into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head, and said softly, "Don't worry, I've already found the most suitable substitute."

"Who?" Shen Qingci looked up curiously.

Chu Jichen slowly uttered a name: "Yue Ning".

Shen Qingci was taken aback and exclaimed in surprise, "Chu Yuening? Your sister?"

Chu Jichen nodded and smiled: "Yuening is about the same age as you, and her figure is quite similar. Most importantly, she is my younger sister, born of the same mother, and we are connected by blood. We are naturally close in our daily interactions."

"At least after she disguised herself as you, on the surface, neither her figure nor her behavior should reveal anything. Moreover, the intimacy between the siblings would be convincing enough to outsiders to deceive them and not arouse any suspicion."

Shen Qingci's eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but clap her hands in praise: "How did you come up with this? This is indeed the best choice! It can deceive everyone without having to worry about those... messy problems."

"but……"

Shen Qingci's brows furrowed again, a hint of worry in her eyes: "Didn't you say that being used as bait to lure out the snakes must be very dangerous? If those people make a move, they won't care whether it's a stand-in or not."

"You can't put Yue Ning in danger just to protect me, can you? She's your own sister. If anything happens to her..."

Chu Jichen smiled, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes, a mixture of relief and heartache: "It was she... who took the initiative to ask me for it."

A look of confusion flashed in Shen Qingci's eyes as she asked, "She came to you on her own initiative? Why? Isn't it good enough for her to live a peaceful life with Tuantuan? Why would she want to get involved in such a dangerous vortex?"

Chu Jichen lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes casting a shadow beneath them, and said in a low voice, "Because of the matter of the Northern You Kingdom."

"Although I have repeatedly told her that the Northern You Kingdom's attack on our Great Zhou has nothing to do with her, it is just a pretext deliberately created by the Northern You wolfish ambitions."

"But she had probably heard too many rumors from the common people outside the palace, saying that she was a femme fatale and that the war was caused by her eloping."

"She is sensitive and always feels guilty. She is always afraid that her entanglement with Bei You will affect me and implicate the people of Da Zhou."

Chu Jichen sighed and continued, "So she thought of doing something for me that she could do, or perhaps making some contributions to offset her mistakes and alleviate her guilt."

Shen Qingci frowned, somewhat indignant: "What wrong has she done? Why does she need to make amends?"

"She is also a victim. She was forced into a marriage alliance and suffered all kinds of grievances in Beiyou. Now that she has finally escaped back, she still has to bear these unfounded accusations. How unfair this world is to women!"

Chu Jichen nodded, his eyes filled with heartache: "Yes, that's what I told her too."

"But this matter has long been a knot in her heart. If I can't make her feel that I am useful to her, and if I can't get her to do something for the Great Zhou, this knot will probably never be untied."

“Perfect timing. She desperately wanted an opportunity to prove herself, and now there’s just such a thing. Since she brought it up herself, after much consideration, I’ve decided to let her go.”

Chu Jichen raised his head, his gaze firm: "This is also to help her truly move on and stop living in the shadows of the past."

"But don't worry, I'll put more guards around her and protect her day and night. I will never let her get hurt in the slightest."

Although Shen Qingci still had some worries, she understood Chu Jichen's good intentions.

Sometimes, resolving inner conflicts is more important than avoiding danger.

She nodded: "In that case, let's do it that way. But we must make sure that nothing goes wrong."

Chu Jichen held her hand and replied softly, "Don't worry, she's my own sister. I want her to be safe more than anyone else."